We have now come to expect access to all, all of the time, and as a result any issue must be answered instantly. Any grievance should be dealt with effectively. Doing so at all times is really not as simple as giving a nod in the direction of open and social. The brand is now under siege.

Based on his personal social media experiments in ‘whitewalling’ and living without Google, using new location services, and observing trends in regulation and privacy, Benvie is well placed to offer advice.

The primacy of email is threatened by new developments and people’s need to save time, he argues:

The trend to use Twitter as a messaging system will gather pace, as users embrace private, direct messages, known as DMs, as they succeed in banishing spam from the inbox as well as giving users the luxury of only short messages being allowed, saving time for all.

Benvie writes of the drive towards media monitoring and community management:

In 2011 we will see the role of the community manager become intrinsic to the success of the brand’s ability to engage that community… ‘Who’s your community manager?’ will be the phrase doing the rounds in marketing and PR departments in 2011.